The morning found us in an unfortunate storm of rain, which displayed every prospect of a continuance throughout the day. An unpleasant incident as it made us feel a prospect of a dull day. But on the whole, we had a merry party. The ladies had a fire and sat down to work and read with the assistance of the circulating library and the gentlemen passed the morning in the Billiard Room. Our party was rather noisy and on the whole made an exceedingly lively morning. After dinner we came to the determination of abandoning our quarters, at which I was much pleased, as I was certainly not in the humour for a lonely ride which must have been my lot, had they decided to wait for clear weather. Abby went down with me and was 280not at all wet owing to the direction in which we went. I seldom remember a more pleasant ride. On our return, found a report that my father had already started, which I would not believe, and a foolish Note from Harriet Welsh.1 Evening with Abby.

Parted from Abby for a short time. I could not increase the regret by a formal leave taking and so separated by surprise. She is dearer to me than ever, though she herself pretends now to doubt my feelings. I hope this parting will rather tend to produce an improvement in our mutual prospects, and at any rate if we are not to be married, it is an advisable step, for with her, the delay now wears upon me.

Rode to Boston and found the report true, that my father upon receiving some alarming intelligence from my Aunt Smith in relation to a terrible attack on my Mother of this same disease which she has been suffering from, had hurried off on Monday and I was expected to follow them immediately. I then occupied myself all the morning in arranging my affairs. It is peculiarly inconvenient to me to go at this time, but I must go. I paid my debts, and drove George with me to Quincy where I passed the afternoon in packing my trunk and preparing all things for my journey. We stopped to tea and found Mrs. Lunt and her son1 with Miss Whitney2 at the house. Took leave and returned to town to the Exchange where I took Supper, George being with me. My anxiety about my mother a little diminished by the favourable letters received this morning from Aunt Smith and John’s wife.3

Roused exceedingly early by the receipt of the mail, which announced to me that my Mother was a little better.1 I sat down and wrote a short Note to George2 before dressing myself to go off on my Journey. The Providence Stage started at a little after four o’clock, and we arrived at Providence in time for the Steam Boat Washington at twelve. Nothing remarkable occurred excepting one of those awkward conversations between two gentlemen in the Stage concerning the relative merits of Genl. Jackson and my father which I dislike very 281much to interfere in and yet which make me feel on thorns. Luckily little was said of an offensive character as the two were administration men and they shortly discovered who I was. We started directly in the Steam Boat with a large number of passengers of whom I scarcely knew a soul. I made acquaintance with Mr. Morse of New York, a painter3 who knew me before I did him. The passage was remarkable for nothing but delay by a head wind, which retarded us two miles an hour in a trip otherwise perfectly fair. My sleep as bad as usual.